Garage-ramp system



Nov. 18, 1930 v H. L. SMITH. JR 1,732,369

GARAGE RAMP SYSTEM Filed Nov. 50 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l M MK MN NM anemia;

Nov. 13, 1930. H .L MTH, JR 1,782,369

GARAGE RAMP SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1926 Nov. 18, 1930.

H. L. SMITH. JR

GARAGE RAMP SYSTEM Filed Nov. 30 192,6

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 a part of a garage Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES HORACE L. smrn, 3a., or nrcnmonn,

'ro AUTO RAMPS CORIPORATION, vmemin VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, 0F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION 01 BY mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS,

GARAGE-RAMP SYSTEM AppIica tion filed November 30, 1926. Serial No. 151,754.

This invention relates to an improved garage ramp system, and aims to provide a simple, practical and economical arrangement for storing motor vehicles on a considerable scale, particularly in cities where ground space is expensive and diflicult to obtain.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a multi-story garage having a ramp unit so constructed and arranged that ascending and descending automobiles may be driven through, into and out of the ramps without interfering with each other, and a maximum number of automobiles may be driven through the system within a given time.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully explained inthe following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating several ways in which the invention may be embodied.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a building constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the ramps and the adjacent walls.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the building.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the ramps and adjacent walls.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the upper part of the ramps, showing a modified form thereof.

Figure 6 is a'horizontal section through the ramps and adjacent walls showing another modification.

Referring to the drawings, and. particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, my improved ramp system is constructed as a unit in and forms building 10, made of suitable material such as reenforced concrete, and having a number of storage The ground floor preferably has of doorways 12, appropriate ones may be designated Enter and avoid interference outgoing traific.

As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the illustrative ramp system is located approximately a number of which Exit to between incoming and floors 11..

in the center of the building, in this instance,

and supporting walls 13 and 14 extending from the ground floor to the roof of the space known as the core and adapted to be used for various purposes, such as for washing and greasing service, as well as for parking spaceL Between the walls 13 and 14, there isshown a pair of ramps or driveways 15 of the double-screw or helical type, one for ascending traffic and the other for descending trafiic, and the pitch being the height of two floors. That is to say, the arrangement is such that an automobile on driving one round will ascend or descend two stories. This enables traffic to move rapidly. Each of the ramps or driveways, where it intersects a floor, has a flat, landing portion 17 forming a continuation of each floor and aligned openings 13 and 14 to permit automobiles to enter them. Further, the floors in the core portion of the ramps are a part of the floors of the building. The openings are so arranged that an automobile may be driven from any main floor directly into the core portion for service. Moreover, the openings are substantially diametrically arranged.

Since my ramps have a pitch of two stories, exit doors for the ascending ramp and entrance doors for the descending ramp will be arranged one above the other on opposite sides. That is the door on the second floor above the ascending ramp door leads to the descending ramp, and the doors for the ascending-ramp and the descending ramp on any floor will be on opposite sides of the ramp structure or unit. This arrangement enables motorists to avoid trafiic going in the opposite direction on the floor. In fact, the open driveways on the floors may be so arranged that, at no time, will a departing motorist cross the path of one who is parking.

To provide for daylight in the core of my ramp unit, I have shown windows 20 and 21 in the walls 13 and 14, respectively. Herein, there are two-such windows substantially diand is formed, by providing spaced cylindrical or substantially cylindrical curtain 18 are provided inthe walls building, the inner wall providing a storage 1 side.

' present-day automobile this means ametrically opposite each other in each wall. If the ramps terminate at the upper floor 11, a safety railing 22 is built around the same. If desired, however, the ramps may be continued through the roof 23 as shown in Figure 5, and a pent house 24 may be built over the same. It may also be desired to bank the ramps, as indi atedat 15' and 16 in F1 ure 5.

nstead of building the walls 13 and 14 cylindrical, it may be preferred to build them with many sides tangential to a cylinder, as indicated at 13 and 1 4" in. Figure 6. In order to minimize the fire hazard, it may also be 'ascending ramp on the ground floor while an independent stream of traflic is passing out of the descendin ramp exit on the-opposite The ascending automobiles climb continuously on a uniform curve and grade until they. reach the respective parking floors. This enables the motorist to sethis steering wheel upon entering a ramp, and then complete the journey without changing it, thus avoidin the necessity to make right-angle turns. %hey do not cross the path of the exit trafiic either the ramp system or on the floors. Thus, my arrangement not onl enables traflic to move at a maximum sp but avoids danger of accidents. Using ramps wide enough for only one automobile, the capacity of my system is about one thousand automobiles per hour. Moreover, the ram is very compact, thereby conserving very va uable floor space and, at the same time, has amaximum car capacity. The transverse dimension is determined with reference to the minimum circle in which an automobile can negotiate continuously.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that my improved system constitutes a very mportant advance in the solution of the parklng problem in congested areas.

0 viously, my invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof herein shown and described- In certain of the subjoined claims the radius of the spiral driveways is defined in terms of the turning radius of the carslwhich the building is designed to house. For the a radius for theinner curve of the ramp of approxi mately 20 feet and a radius for the outer curve of approximately 32 feet, thereby providing a 12-foot drivewhich allows an ample factor of safety for passenger vehicles of the larger size. The clalms are not to be 1mjust less than said greatest extent, obviously affords theshortest path of travel from one point to another, and

by superimposing the up and down ramps.

1n the mannerdescribed, two complete separate driveways are provided in the minimum space possible for the movement of the cars.

The expressions just greater and just less as used in the appended claims are intended to define ramp dimensions sufliciently greater and smaller, respectively, than the automobile turning radius, to provide a driveway of ample Width.

What is claimed is:

1. In a garage building superimposed horizontal storage floors spaced to provide full head room between the successive floors, a ramp structure providing separate automobile driveways for in ress to and egress from the successive floors o the building, said ram structure comprising two superimposed substantially continuous helical driveways haw ing a common vertical axis, the outer radius of said driveways being just greater than the turning radius of greatest amplitude of the cars thebuildin is designed to accommodate, the inner; ra us of said ramps being turning radius, and the middle lines of said driveways being throughout the length of the driveways at the same distance from the vertical axis, said distance being such that automobiles can traverse the length of the ramp without change in the position of their steering wheels.

' In a garage building, superimposed horizontal storage floors spaced to provide full head room between the successive floors, a ramp structure providing separate automobile driveways for in ress to andegress from the successive floors 0 said garage, said ramp structure comprising twosuperimposed substantially continuous helical driveways hav- 's'ition of the steering wheels, and the pitch of of the storage floors extending transversely across the space within the inner radius of said helices, the outer radius of said driveways being just greater than the turning radius of greatest amplitude of the cars the garage is designed to house, the inner radius of said ramps being just less than said turning radius, and the middle lines of said driveways being driveways at the same distance from said vertical axis whereby cars can traverse the length of the ramp without change in the position of the steering wheels.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature.

HORACE L. SMITH, JR.

throughoutthe length of the 

